3 Prized Possessions: Todd Waters

With the MXstore MX Nationals’ 2020 season finally set to get underway on the second weekend of August, it’s as good a reason as any to cast our minds back to 2010; back to a time when the MX1 class reigning champ, Todd Waters, was a 20-year-old pup; back to a time before he’d raced a couple of seasons in Europe’s cut-throat MXGP World Championship; before he’d had a crack at the AMA Outdoor series in America; before he ran an agonizing close second to Josh Coppins and Matt Moss in the 2012 and 2013 title chases, respectively; before we knew he was a qualified cabinetmaker; before he’d found a decent barber; and before he’d handed Husqvarna its first national motocross title in Australia for 40 long years – since Swedish import, Pelle Granquist, won the 250 and 500cc Australian MX titles aboard a Husky in 1978 and 1979.
Yep, let’s go back and visit the Todd Waters we knew back in 2010…

Born and raised in the sleepy little town of Atherton in the tablelands west of Cairns, 20-year-old Todd Waters started racing at age 12 and he still absolutely lives and breathes the sport. He joined the Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing team in 2009 and immediately showed he’d be a title contender in the premier Open class. Waters has proved he’s got the speed to claim the red plate – running it for a few rounds in the past two MX Nats seasons – but is yet to finish the season with it.
We caught up with the likeable youngster on the Gold Coast just days after his Parramatta Super X accident – which left him concussed and sidelined for the Super X finale at Brisbane – and asked him to bring the three possessions he cherishes most.
And what are the three possessions Waters most prizes? These three possessions…

1. Lost Surfboard

I’ve been wakeboarding for a while, but now that I’ve moved down from Cairns to the Gold Coast, I thought I ought to pick up surfing. A guy called Phil Harper from Lost helps the Honda team out with some casual gear, and Lost also sells surfboards – lots of them, from what I understand. So I was pumped that Harps gave me this cool board, which I’m learning on. I’m not that good at it yet, and I’ve been over the bars on it a few times. But I love it and I use it to get away from racing.

2. Our Iveco Van

I’m from Cairns, and it’s a 16-hour drive just to get to Brisbane! So our van has done a million miles. Since I was about 16 years old, my family and I have spent a lot of time in that van. It means a lot to me because, without it, I wouldn’t be riding. It’s been there as kind of a constant as my career has progressed. It’s how I get around to all my practice tracks. It’s a big old decked-out thing and has a double bed, so it makes life pretty comfortable on the road. We’ll get rid of it one day, but that’ll be a sad day.

3. My iPod

This is something I also use to get away from everything. I’ll plug it in and go for a run along the beach, which I really enjoy. I’ve always thought music was pretty important, because it can help you switch off and it can pump you up as well. Unlike some guys, I don’t use it on race weekends. I’m a bit of a social guy at the races, I guess. I like to cruise around and talk to everyone, so it doesn’t work for me there. I just use it to relax when I’m away from racing and to get into a different headspace.

NOTE: This content originally appeared in Issue #6 of Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine in late 2010.